Total pages in book: 209
Estimated words: 196085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 980(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 980(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
I give the photo along look and see she’s right.
“I know it’s not me. So gold watch or no watch doesn’t really make a difference. But how do we prove that in court? My distaste for something hardly seems compelling.”
“We’ll have to find a way. But we need to see the evidence they present first. Until then, you need to make sure you keep things super-secret about Chastity, no one can know. And I mean no one. You can’t trust anyone right now.”
I glance out the window again, and the familiar sound of police cars and fire truck sirens resound in the café and I notice it’s raining.
“So, I guess that’s it. We just wait and see what kind of mud and slime they throw at me and then take it from there?
Isabella sighs. “You know I believe you. I'm trying my best. But the court of public opinion will not wait for proof of your innocence. You’ll be convicted as soon as the first press conference ends with a crying employee. Sorry, it’s just how it is.”
I nod and pull out my phone as it rings.
“Yes, Jensen?”
His voice is tight with panic. “Jackson, the office is on fire, and it’s spreading fast.”
I stand up so fast the chair tips over and crashes behind me. Patrons turn and stare. But I'm not the least bit concerned about them. “Did you get our people out?”
“Yes, everyone is safe. But Jackson, everything’s going up.”
I shake my head. “Things can be replaced. Just make sure every single one of the employees is accounted for. I’ll be right there.”
“Okay.”
“Wait, Jensen, is Chastity out?”
It feels like a thousand years pass in the second it takes him to answer me.
“She's out. She's safe. She left the office a few minutes before we went up in flames. I saw the security footage of her leaving.”
CHAPTER 20
CHASTITY
Diary Entry Ten Minutes Ago
Dear Diary,
What have I done?
Silly girl. I can’t even breathe…this was the best day of my life so far.
Now, it’s the worst.
I reach for the leather gym bag on the top shelf inside the walk-in closet at Jack’s penthouse. Dragging it down, I slam it onto the floor in the center of the closet and wipe the back of my hand over my eyes.
The image of Jackson sitting with the stunning blonde, so sophisticated in her pinstriped pantsuit, is making me burn. Seeing him in some lover’s quarrel, then him pulling out a red ring box and seeing the look in her eyes is destroying me.
After seeing them, I used all my strength to go back to my office, I stuffed all my belongings into a garbage bag and left without talking to anyone. I can’t go back there. I’m a joke. Jack’s been playing a game just as I suspected from the beginning. Who knows how many are in on it?
They must have been laughing at me all along, the intern who was stupid enough to believe she deserved a promotion like that.
I’ll go back to Morgantown, tail between my legs.
Sniffling, I reach under the shelves to grab my shoes pushing my damp hair back off my forehead it the other hand. I'm careful to not take anything Jack bought me. I fit what I can in my duffel, looking around at my books, stuffed animals, my plants…remembering my mom’s china set that is now in Jack’s kitchen cabinets. I have to leave so much here, and that’s killing me too.
It breaks my heart looking around.
Quite an elaborate game the rich can play with unsuspecting pawns.
The glistening cut of the diamonds on my ring catches the overhead lights. I pull it off and throw it into the wall of mirrors mocking me as I pack.
The diamond collar is in his nightstand drawer. It’s not mine and I’m not his.
I’m going to have to eat a huge plate of crow with my dad, who told me coming here to New York I would be out of my depth.
I cover my face with my hands as sobs wrench free from my chest, confusion and panic mix inside of me. I can’t breathe. I throw my head back as tears roll down my cheeks. I cry until the painful lump in my throat loosens, trying to come up with my plan.
I can’t wait any longer, I pull my phone up seeing a ton of missed calls from Jack and a few texts I don’t bother to read. I clear all the notifications and dial.
“Hello?” His voice is unemotional as usual.
“Dad?”
“Chastity,” he sounds distant. “How are you doing? I’m about to go into a meeting. Is this something important?”
“I need your help. I need to come back home.”
Through choked tears and apologies, I give him the short version of my predicament with Jackson Carter as I take the walk of shame to the living room carrying my duffel. I take his jabs, the ‘I told you so’s’ and ‘silly girl’s’ until he finally pauses on a disappointed sigh.